Mitt Romney and George Santos Engage in Tense Exchange on House Floor Ahead of State of the Union Address

Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah and Republican Representative George Santos of New York had a tense exchange Tuesday night on the House floor ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.

According to a witness, Romney told Santos, “You don’t belong here,” as Santos was standing in the front aisle of the chamber, attempting to shake hands with the president and senators. Romney noted that Santos was under an ethics investigation and should be sitting in the back row instead of “parading in front of the president and people coming into the room.”

Santos has faced calls to resign after he admitted to lying about much of his background. After the speech, Romney told CNN he had criticized Santos for standing in the front aisle given the fact that he was under investigation. He added that Santos may have responded to his remark, but he “didn’t hear.”

Lawmakers often choose to sit along the aisle for the State of the Union so they can greet and shake hands with the president as he enters the room and walks toward the dais. It is unclear why Santos was attempting to do so, given the current circumstances.

The exchange between Romney and Santos has sparked debate among political observers, with some questioning why Santos was in the chamber in the first place. It remains to be seen if any further action will be taken in response to the incident.